I have a Gateway notebook model MX6956. Upon startup, I get ascreen that asks if I want to start normally or in safe mode. Either one gets me an error message that starts with UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME and then the computer will restart itself after a few seconds. I have pictures I would like to get off the hard drive but can't get the computer up long enough to do so. I made recovery discs after it's purchase but would like to save the pictures if possible.
Would appreciate any help

1. That would indicate your hard drive is either bad or corrupt.2. You can try and boot of your windows xp cd, select R at the first prompt to go into recovery console and run chkdsk. That often fixes these kinds of problems.3. If that doesn't work, you can take your hard drive and, using a usb enclosure or cable to convert the type of hard drive you have to usb, attach it to another computer and remove your files that way.4. If the chkdsk didn't work, it may be time to purchase a new drive.

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Within Windows 8:
Hold the Shift Key and click Restart at the login page

If that does not restart your system in Safe Mode:
When at the Recovery Page
Click "See Advanced Repair Options"
Click "Troubleshoot"
Click "Advanced Options"
Click "Windows Startup Settings"
Then hit the restart button.

When it restarts you will see the option to arrow down (or up) to start in Safe Mode.

Step 1
Getting out of Safe Mode may be both easy and complicated at the same time. The primary consideration is the reason why the machine is booting into this status. If it was user initiated, the easiest way is to click on the 'Start' button and select the 'Turn Off Computer' option.
Step 2
This will bring up the window with the 'Standby', 'Turn Off', and 'Restart' options. Choose either 'Restart' or 'Turn Off'. Upon rebooting or powering up of the machine, the Operating System should automatically load into Normal Mode. Take note that some users are misled into believing that the system is in Safe Mode primarily due to the incorrect setting of the video. If the system is in Safe Mode, it should be stated at the corners of the screen.
Step 3
If the system keeps on rebooting on Safe Mode, this is a possible indication of a problem in loading startup components. Reboot the machine.
Step 4
During the reboot process, press the 'F8' key to display the boot-up options. In this window, select the 'Last Known Good Configuration' option. The Operating System will attempt to locate the last settings that successfully loaded the Operating System.
Step 5
If still unsuccessful, allow the machine to boot into Safe Mode. Click on the 'Start' button and choose the 'Control Panel' option.
Step 6
Click on the 'Performance and Maintenance' category and click on the 'System' icon. This should open the System Properties window.
Step 7
Click on the 'Hardware' tab and click on the 'Device Manager' button. Check for any exclamation or question mark beside any entry. Reload the corresponding device driver for the erroneous component. Repeat Step 2; this should boot the system in Normal Mode.
Step 8
If the computer system entered Safe Mode via the System Configuration utility, then it can only boot in Normal Mode using the same tool. Click on the 'Start' button and choose 'All Programs'. Click on the 'System Tools' category and select the 'System Information' option.
Step 9
From the new window, click on the 'Tools' Menu and select 'System Configuration Utility'. Under the 'General' tab, select the 'Normal Startup' option.
Step 10
Click on the 'OK' button and restart the machine as described in Step 2. This will load the system in Normal Mode.

1. Press the Start button.
2. Type msconfig in Start menu or click 'run' and type msconfig.
3. Open the program. (Click msconfig icon if it doesn't open automatically)
4. Also, open the command box. Click Start > run > and type cmd.exe and open. (If the above method does not work, using "msconfig", your "System Configuration Utility" program should open on your screen.5. Click on the "General" tab on the utility program. Select the "Normal Startup" option. Click "Apply" and "Ok" to confirm the change back to normal mode.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts to restart the computer. Your computer should reboot normally.
7. IF this doesn't work:Click on the "Boot" tab in " msconfig" > the "Safe boot" option should be unchecked.

IF that doesn't work, go to "msconfig" again and click the Startup tab. Disable all startup programs or, if you know which one is causing the problem, just a single program.

Hi,this should help.Don't forget to rate....
Getting out of Safe Mode may be both easy and complicated at the same time. The primary consideration is the reason why the machine is booting into this status. If it was user initiated, the easiest way is to click on the 'Start' button and select the 'Turn Off Computer' option.
This will bring up the window with the 'Standby', 'Turn Off', and 'Restart' options. Choose either 'Restart' or 'Turn Off'. Upon rebooting or powering up of the machine, the Operating System should automatically load into Normal Mode. Take note that some users are misled into believing that the system is in Safe Mode primarily due to the incorrect setting of the video. If the system is in Safe Mode, it should be stated at the 4 corners of the screen.
If the system keeps on rebooting in Safe Mode, this is a possible indication of a problem in loading startup components. Reboot the machine.
During the reboot process, press the 'F8' key to display the boot-up options. In this window, select the 'Last Known Good Configuration' option. The Operating System will attempt to locate the last settings that successfully loaded the Operating System. This feature was introduced under the Microsoft Windows 2000 Operating System platform and retained in newer Microsoft environments.
If still unsuccessful, allow the machine to boot into Safe Mode. Click on the 'Start' button and choose the 'Control Panel' option.
Click on the 'Performance and Maintenance' category and click on the 'System' icon. This should open the System Properties window.
Click on the 'Hardware' tab and click on the 'Device Manager' button. Check for any exclamation or question mark beside any entry. Reload the corresponding device driver for the erroneous component. Repeat Step 2; this should boot the system in Normal Mode.
If the computer system entered Safe Mode via the System Configuration utility, then it can only boot in Normal Mode using the same tool. Click on the 'Start' button and choose 'All Programs'. Click on the 'System Tools' category and select the 'System Information' option.
From the new window, click on the 'Tools' Menu and select 'System Configuration Utility'. Under the 'General' tab, select the 'Normal Startup' option.
Click on the 'OK' button and restart the machine as described in Step 2. This will load the system in Normal Mode.This is all that can be done hope this helped.

Power on or Restart your computer, keep tapping F8 on the keyboard while it boots up. After few seconds, you'll be taken to the "Advanced Boot Options" with "Safe Mode" in the lists. Use the Up-Down arrow keys to highlight the "Safe Mode" and press enter on the keyboard to confirm the selected boot options. Black Screen with white texts will be displayed on the display, wait for few seconds until you see the windows logon Screen. You'll also see a confirmation message box asking you to confirm to boot into Safe Mode, click "yes" or "Ok" and proceed forward. There now you are in the Safe Mode.

Do this:Start the computer in safe mode.If it starts OK, then click on Start and Run and then type in msconfig.In the next window go to the startup tab (upper right of the window).When the tab opens, at the lower right, click on disable all.Now restart the computer normally.If you had a bad motherboard, it would not start in safe mode.One of the items that showed up in the startup tab is causing the problem. You can run msconfig when running normally and enable the things one by one until you find the one causing the problem.Oh--BTW--after running msconfig, when you start Windows, you will get a message saying the the utility had been run. You have to click the little box at the lower left of the window, or it will throw you right back into the configuration.

When you turn on your computer press F8 to pull up a bootup menu and choose safe mode and see if you can get into safe mode. If you can then go into MSCONFIG under the startup tab and choose disable all and reboot. These are all of the programs running normally when you startup the computer. If you get back into windows normally then that means there is something loading up upon boot that is affecting windows. Try to figure out the last thing you installed before the problem and uninstall it.

Reboot and keep tapping on F8 to go to Safe Mode. Do not put the reinstallation disk yet. Once in Safe Mode select "last known good configuration".

You can also run "Chkdsk" from the C hard drive Properties if you get to Safe Mode. Double click "My Computer", right click on C drive, select Properties, select Tools tab, go to Error checking and click on "Check now" then check "automatically fix file system errors" and "scan for and attemp recovery for bad sectors" and click "start"

If that doesn't work proceed to do System Restore in Safe Mode or remove previous programs that may have caused your Windows to freeze. If you suspect virus, run your anti-virus in Safe Mode.

If none of the above works then try your XP CD (or reinstallation disk) and do a repair.